KAPURTHALA: Rail Coach Factory(RCF) kapurthala has started manufacturing AC3 Tier economy class coaches capable of running at a optimum speed of 160 kmph after its successful oscillation trials conducted on Nagda-kota-sawai Madhopur section at a speed of 180 kmph.
This was disclosed by RCF General Manager Ravinder Gupta here today.
RCF had rolled out first prototype economy class Air conditioned3- Tier coach on Feb.10 and handed it over to RDSO for its trials and after three weeks of aggressive trials on Nagda-Sawai Madhopur section, RDSO(Research development and standard organisation) has found its trial run very successful. The Railway Board has placed an order to manufacture 248 coaches .
GM said that RCF will roll out 50 coaches by end of this march and the remaining coaches would be manufactured during next financial year and these coaches will be fitted with super fast and express trains.
Replying to a question on the cost of the rail ticket , GM said it will be decided by the railway board and he expected that it would be cheaper than AC 3 tier coach travel and he proudly said that now the rail passengers who could not afford AC travel could enjoy the ride in Air conditioned coach.
He said that passengers berth capacity has been increased from 72 to 83 berths in this coach by shifting the high voltage electric switch gear system below the under frame for the first time Indian railways and the cost is rupees 2.75 lakh per coach less than the cost of AC 3 tier coach.
He disclosed that post covid-19 features have been added in the interior and lavatory foot operated taps, flush and interior doors.
Narrating the salient features of this new coach, GM said the new coach is provided with a wider and one friendly toilet for the disabled person near the entry door, redesigning of AC ducting to provide individual AC vent for each berth, comfortable and ergonomically designed modular berths, improved design of ladder for accessing the middle and upper berth, interior of coach is luminescent aisle marking , use of fire retardant material , public address and passengers information systems have been installed in this coach.
RCF has manufactured 1322 coaches till March 1 and will achieve the target to manufacture 1516 coaches including 50 economy class AC 3 tier coaches by the end of March 31 this year.
RCF has received an order to manufacture 1817 coaches during next financial year.
To overcome the threat of pandemic covid-19, RCF engineers have been working on virus free coach by making changes in the filtration system of air like hapa filters fitted in the aeroplanes.